Wreath support



' Jan. 31, 1961 F. TONNESSON WREATH SUPPORT Filed April 2, 1958 FIG. 6

IN VENTOR. .FLo r0 72-EJJ0N flow 20 79 ATfbRNEYa United States Patent WREATH SUPPORT Floyd Tonnesson, 3229 48th Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Apr. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 725,910

4 Claims. (Cl. 24827.8)

This invention relates to a supporting means for floral and other wreaths used primarily as cemetery decorations. More particularly, this invention relates to a wreath support of simple sturdy construction which is adjustable to receive and support decorative wreaths of difiering diameters to securely hold them in place.

The wreath support of this invention is unobtrusive so as not to detract from the decorative beauty of the Wreath which it supports. It is easily assembled and easily inserted in the ground. Once in place in the ground, it forms a sturdy and stable support for a wreath. It is compact for ease of shipment and storage.

The invention is illustrated by the drawings in which the same numerals refer to corresponding parts and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the wreath support of this invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the wreath support installed in the ground and supporting a wreath;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the wreath support inserted in the ground and holding a wreath;

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the wreath support standard and adjustable supporting bracket;

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end elevation illustrating a modified form of wreath supporting bracket.

Referring to the drawings, the wreath support of this invention comprises a rigid standard, indicated generally at 10, and intended when in use to be inserted in the earth so as to stand vertically erect. The standard 10 is preferably circular in transverse cross section and may be in the form of a solid rod or rigid tube. It is preferably.

formed of metal, such as rolled steel rods or the like.

The lowermost tip 11 of the standard 10 is flattened along a portion of the length of the standard. This flattened portion performs a triple function. It facilitates the insertion of the wreath support into the ground. It prevents the wreath support from rotating on the axis of the standard after a wreath has been mounted on the support, and offers resistance to the wind. It also serves to retain both the upper and lower supporting and fastening means on the standard during shipment and storage of the wreath support prior to use.

The top tip of the standard 10 is preferably provided with an ornamental knob or finial 12 which performs the dual function of providing a decorative or symbolic ornament at the top of the standard and to retain the sliding supporting bracket and lower tying means on the standard during shipment and storage of the support. If desired, the finial may be in the form of a patriotic or fraternal emblem or religious symbol.

A spring clamping wreath support bracket indicated, generally at 13, is slidably mounted on the standard 10. The bracket 13 includes a generally horizontally projecting supporting arm 14 adapted to extend forwardly from the standard 10, a central aperture 15 of a shape corresponding to the transverse cross section of the standard and of a size just slightly greater than the standard so as to permit the bracket to be slidably moved along the standard and an integral loop spring clamping member 16 extending rearwardly from the standard and then curved generally in a loop back toward the standard. The free end of the spring clamp member 16 is provided with a V-notch tip 17 which frictionally engages the rearward surface of the standard 10.

The bracket 13 is desirably formed from a length of resilient metal strap material. The forward edge of the standard 10 is preferably provided with a plurality of transverse grooves or notches 18 spaced at intervals along the upper portion of the standard to engage the forward portion of the bracket aperture 15 to doubly insure against the bracket sliding downwardly under the weight of the wreath. The forward tip of the bracket arm 14 is preferably slightly upturned to aid in retaining a wreath on the supporting arm until it is secured in place. An upper wreath fastening or typing means 20 is secured by means of a ring 21 in a hole in the tip 19 of the supporting arm 14 of the wreath bracket 13. The tying means 20 may be any strong flexible linear material such as a length of chain, tape, ribbon, twine or the like. The tying means 20 is of a length suflicient to pass over a Wreath held on the support and be tied to the spring friction grip means of the bracket 13, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 wherein the form of a wreath 22 is represented in broken lines.

A lower wreath fastening or tying means 23 is slidably mounted on the standard 10 by means of a ring 24 having a diameter somewhat greater than that of the standard 10. The tying means 23 is similar in both length and construction to tying means 20. It is freely slidable on the standard so as to readily adjust to wreaths of differing diameters.

In the use of the wreath support, a wreath 22 is laid over the supporting arm 14 of the bracket 13 and is secured in place upon the bracket by the tying means 20 which is passed over the wreath and tied to the bracket. The bracket 13 may be positioned at the desired height on the standard 10 by manually sliding it up or down the standard. Where the bracket is clamped in a groove 18 on the standard, it may be released for movement by bearing upwardly and outwardly on the lower surface of the spring loop 16 adjacent the notched end 17, generally as shown in broken lines in Figure 4. The lower end of the wreath 22 is secured to the wreath support by means of the tying means 23. The tying means 23 is freely slidable by virtue of ring 24 to the appropriate position on the standard 10. It is then wrapped around the wreath frame and the free end is tied to the standard.

The wreath is thus firmly secured at both top and bottom. The top of the wreath is firmly supported by the bracket 13 frictionally engaging the standard and preferably locked in one of the notches 18. The weight of the wreath upon the bracket arm 14 tends to cause the forward edge of the aperture 15 in the bracket to bite into the surface of the rod standard. At the same time, the notched edge 17 of the spring gripping means 16 also bites into the standard. The wreath may be adjusted to desired height on the standard. The flattened bottom tip of the standard prevents the wreath from rotating, as when blown by the wind.

Referring to Figure 6, there is shown a modified form of supporting bracket indicated generally at 13A, and mounted for slidable movement along a standard 19A. This form of bracket has a forwardly extending bracket arm 14A having an upturned tip 19A. Although not shown in Figure 6, it is to be understood that suitable tying means would also be provided on the bracket.

3 This modified form of bracket is supported on the standard by means of integral friction clamp means.

The modified bracket is formed from resilient metal strap, one end 25 of which is folded back upon itself. A pair of opposed holes '26 and 27 of shape similar to that of the standard A, and of a size just slightly larger to permit a loose sliding fit along the standard are formed in the folded-over end portion and bracket arm portion 14A, respectively, of the modified bracket 13A. The standard 10A is passed through the opposed holes 26 and 27. The inherent spring tension in the elbow 28 of the modified bracket tends to hold the bracket portions 25 and 14A apart to provide a clamping or gripping action relative to the standard.

The weight of a wreath 22 upon the bracket arm tends to increase the frictional grip. This modified form of bracket may, however, readily be positioned as desired along the standard merely by squeezing together with the fingers the arm portion 14A and the folded-over portion 25 of the bracket. By thus releasing the spring tension, the friction grip is released and the bracket is freely slidable. The edges of the openings 26 and 2 7 tend to bite into the surface of standard 10A to securely support the Wreath at the desired height along the standard.

It will be understood that the modified bracketand standard are used in combination with a lower tying means as already described. The bottom tip of standard 10A is also preferably flattened and the top tip is preferably provided with an ornamental knob or similar device. The modified form of wreath support functions as previously described. Either form of wreath support is adapted to hold wreaths of varying diameters but if desired they may be made with standards of different lengths, each size of support then being intended for a wreath of narrow size range.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by Way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wreath support comprising a straight rigid standard member, one end of which is adapted to be inserted in the earth to hold the standard vertically erect, a wreath supporting bracket slidably mounted on said standard, said bracket being formed from resilient metal strap provided with a central aperture through which said standard passes with a loose sliding fit and including a forwardly projecting wreath supporting arm, integral spring gripping means on said bracket for frictionally engaging said standard to lock said bracket at a desired position along said standard, tying means secured to the outer end of said bracket arm for fastening a wreath to said bracket and further tying means slidably movable on said standard, said further tying mean being spaced away from the bracket and adapted to fasten the bottom of a wreath to said standard.

2. A wreath support according to claim 1 further characterized in that the bottommost end of said standard is flattened through a substantial portion of the length of the standard whereby rotation of the standard in the ground is prevented.

3. A wreath support according to claim 1 further characterized in that a plurality of spaced transverse notches are provided along one edge of the upper end portion of said standard for engaging the central aperture of said Wreath supporting bracket to position said bracket on said standard.

4. A wreath support comprising a straight rigid standard member, the bottommost end of said standard being flattened through a portion of the length of the standard and adapted to be inserted in the earth to hold the standard vertically erect and stable against rotation, a plurality of spaced transverse notches along the upper end portion of said standard, an ornamental finial on the top end of said standard, a wreath supporting bracket slidably mounted on said standard, said bracket being formed from resilient metal strap provided with a central aperture through which said standard passes with a sliding fit and a forwardly projecting wreath supporting arm, integral spring gripping means on said bracket for frictionally engaging said standard to lock said bracket at a desired position along said standard, chain tying means secured to the outer end of said bracket arm for fastening a wreath to said bracket, further tying means secured to a ring around said standard, said further tying means being slidably movable on the standard, and adapted to be spaced away from the bracket to fasten the bottom of a wreath to said standard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 433,124 Hall July 29, 1890 1,201,427 Angvick Oct. 17, 1916 1,226,019 Schley May 15, 1917 1,322,465 Otis Nov. 18, 1919 1,343,279 Reynolds June 15, 1920 1,514,602 Charland Nov. 11, 1924 1,634,162 Tesk June 28, 1927 1,649,645 Allen Nov. 15, 1927 1,677,767 Goodridge July 17, 1928 1,719,695 Ferguson July 2, 1929 1,720,338 Loper July 9, 1929 1,753,553 Deach Apr, 8, 1930 

